Counselling Client Information Sheet
- What is counselling?
Counselling is the creation of a safe confidential space (within limits) for you to talk to a trained professional about your issues and concerns.
Your counsellor may help you explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviour so you may develop a better understanding of yourself and of others.
Your Counsellor will not give their advice or prescribe medication; instead, they will encourage you and support you to find your own solutions – whether that’s bringing about the changes in your life or finding ways of coping with your problems.
- How does counselling help people?
Counselling can help with many difficult life experiences – from coping with traumatic experiences and events, to dealing with depression and anxiety or managing harmful emotions and behaviours.
- Your Counsellors approach is Person Centred:
This means you (the client) are the expert of every aspect of your life. Your counsellor recognises you have your own unique personal history that makes you who you are, as we all experience things differently.
Your counsellor can provide an environment that is free from judgment that is safe and warm, where you may be completely open communicating how you feel. This may allow you to create a sense of autonomy and confidence to engage the problems/issues in the present and future.
Your counsellor will listen and accept your experience openly with understanding, endeavouring to work with you empathically by putting themselves in your shoes.
This feeling of acceptance may encourage you to be more accepting of yourself and it could give you confidence in your own decisions and courage to express your emotions, what you are thinking, or specific behaviours.
Your awareness of your challenging thoughts and feeling may grow and this growth may give you an ability to hold these thoughts and feelings without them overwhelming you.
Your counsellor will work with you in an authentic, open and transparent way. You can expect your counsellor to be open and honest with you and work with you on what you want to bring to the sessions. This honesty supports a strong balanced relationship between you and your counsellor.
Your counsellor acknowledges that your objectives for counselling will be unique to you. Your counsellor will discuss with you regularly (agreed with you) your objectives for counselling as they may be achieved, change or lose their importance.
Your counsellors’ approach is underpinned by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Ethical Framework which you can view by clicking here
- What evidence is there that counselling works?
Counselling similar to life can be difficult however it can also be an amazing journey of self-discovery that can change your life for the better.
There’s no stronger evidence that counselling changes lives than those whose lives have been turned around click here to read about client experiences.
- What happens now?
You will have an initial assessment session with your counsellor lasting around one hour. The purpose of this session is to make sure that counselling is an appropriate option for you and that your counsellor may be able to help you or to suggest a referral to another service.
You will discuss with your counsellor in the assessment the following areas:
• The problems or issues which prompted you to seek out counselling
• Current relationships
• Employment details
• Problems you have had in the past
• Personal family history
• Contact details of your GP (You must be registered with a GP to become a client)
• Your objectives and how you would like to review it
• Prior to the assessment you will be asked to fill out short questionnaires about how you are feeling. These questionnaires should take no more than 15 minutes
- What happens if you choose to become a client?
As part of the counselling contract your counsellor will discuss with you an open-ended agreement of weekly 50-minute counselling sessions that will be reviewed every 6 sessions (You can review progress with the counsellor at any time) if you consider appropriate.
This means your counsellor is committed to ongoing counselling sessions until you feel the work is complete.
This agreement is part of the counselling contract and your counsellor will review this with you, and your progress regularly.